How did you first find out about bariatric surgery and what were your initial impressions of it?

I went to see Dr. Mirande re: some vascular damage to my right leg that was causing some swelling from my knee down. He said that was nothing he could do to fix the veins but he could possibly help me fix the main problem. He explained to procedure to me and I was so excited about the prospect of permanent weightloss that I almost cried. That was when all the fun with insurance co. started.

Describe your experience with getting insurance approval for surgery. What advice, if any, do you have for other people in this stage?

Regency Bluecross/Blueshield or OR has a total exclusion for treatment of obesity and they decided that I was not the one to change their minds. I fought them for a year and a half and ended up paying for the surgery myself.

What was your first visit with your surgeon like? How can people get the most out of this meeting?

My first visit with Dr. Mirande was both exciting and informational. My best advice to anyone thinking about this procedure is to ask a lot of questions even if you think the question is stupid. For the time before your appointment, write down your questons so you don't forget any(I went in with two sheets of paper). Remember that this is a life changing surgery and you need to have all the information before you decide. Personally, I have no regrets

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I figure that your only on this planet once and you should get everything out of it that you can. I was not living up to my fullest and I was in pain. At 37 yrs old, this was not the way I wanted to be and I still have things that I want to do that I can't do at 400+ lbs.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

The laproscopic RNY seemed the best option for me. My problem has always been how much I ate and this was the procedure to limit that. Also, the short term hospital and recovery were a definate plus since I was a self-pay and I have no help with the bills.

What fears did you have about having complications or even dying from from the surgery, and what would you tell other people having the same fears now?

I would tell anyone considering this to be realistic with yourself. There is a greater risk of complications from anasthesia when your obese. There is the risk of bleeding from the staple sights(internal and external)and the risk of infection is always there. Complications from excisting health problems are also a factor. Ultimately, yes, you may even die. Although the chance of this is slim, it is still an issue you should address with yourslef and your family before going to surgery.

How did your family and friends react to your decision? Would you have communicated anything differently if you could now? How supportive were they after your surgery?

My family and friends have all been very helpful and supportive throughout this. I must say that there first reaction was a bit scared. I explained a lot of the issues and possible complications to them and in the end, they agreed that it was the right thing to do.

How did your employer/supervisor react to your decision? What did you tell him/her? How long were you out of work?

I was out of work for three weeks although I feel that I could have probably gone back after two weeks. I drive heavy equipment in a plywood mill and felt that the extra week would do me good before climbing back into my loader. my boss was very supportive and still is. He is constantly asking my how i'm doing and if there are any problems.

What was your stay in the hospital like? How long where you there? What things are most important to bring?

I must say that I don't think i've ever had a "good" stay in a hospital but this was definatley not the worst. The staff at Merle West Med Center were very attentive and helpful. Unfortunately, ase you may have noted from the date of my surgery, I was post op when the terrorist hit us. I Remember an older nurse coming in and when I asked her what was happening, she was very concerned and helped me understand what had happened. Considering the amount of pain meds i had, this was no easy task for her and I commend her approach and the way she dealt with the situation.

Did you have any complications from the surgery? If so, how did you deal with them?

The only problem I had was some fluid retention and a bit of a fever which were dealt with accordingly.

In the weeks after you got your surgery date, how did you feel? How did you cope with any anxiety you might have felt?

From day one, it seems that you get fifty percent better every day. There would be a drastic change in my energy level from one day to the next till I was completely healed. Ase far ase anxiety, I have a large group of family and friends that have been overwhelmingly supportive.

Describe your first few weeks home from the hospital. What should people expect from this period?

My first few weeks at home were not ase bad ase I had expected. My energy level was low and I seemed to be cold a lot but this all passed. I found that I felt better if I forced myself to get up and move around ase much ase possible. Sleep for the first week or so is difficult because you just can't seem get comfortable in bed. I had two tubes in my abnomen for drainage so I could really only lay on my back or side and I like to sleep on my stomach. Once the tubes were out, things got better fast. Remember that you are not taking in much ase fas ase calories are conserned for the first couple weeks so expect some dizziness and weakness.

How far did you travel to have your surgery? (If far, how did this affect your aftercare?)

Dr. Mirande performed my surgery here in my home town of Klamath Falls, OR at Merle West Med Center. I had no real travel time.

Please describe in detail what things you could and couldn't eat in the weeks and months following surgery. What foods have been off limits? Please explain how your dietary tolerance changed week-by-week, and then month-by-month since surgery.

In the beginning, all I could eat was sugar-free jello and popsicles. Later, you move up to broth and other clear liquids. I am now passed all that and into regular foods although I seem tohaving some problems with meats. I have experienced a lot of vomiting but I think that is from eating to fast which has always been a problem for me since I was young. Every day is definatley a learning experience since you are trying to slowly reintroduce foods like meat and veggies.

What was your actvity level in the days and weeks after surgery?

Energy levels right after the surgery are very low but it seems to improve about fifty percent every day. I am at aprox. 7 weeks right now and I have a lot of energy.

What vitamins and/or dietary supplements have you taken since your surgery?

I take a chewable multi vit ever day along with and iron supplement. I try to chew a couple tums or rolaids during the day for the calcium and once a month I give myself 1cc of b12.

What side effects (nausea, vomiting, sleep disturbace, dumping, hair loss etc.) were worse for you? For how long after surgery did they persist? How did you cope with them?

The vomiting is the main side effect that I seem to be experiencing. It is often accompanied by burping and sometimes the hiccups. I am still having this problem but I think I may be getting a handle on it. So far, no hair loss or other problems to speak of.

What was the worst part about the entire bariatric surgery process?

Coming up with the money to pay for it was definatley not easy but i got it done(yes, legally lol). There is a lot of adjustments that you have to make after the surgery and for me, this has been a little hard. I still miss the way things were before but it's getting better.

What aftercare support group/program do you have? How helpful/important is this?

No support group meetings for me yet. They are on weeknights and I work swing shift so this web sight may very well be my support group. I do feel that I have missed out on a very faluable tool by not being able to talk to other about my issues and hope that this will soon change.

What is your scar like? Is this what you expected?

I have 8 small incision scars on my stomach. Two of these were for the drains. They are still pretty noticable now but are starting to lighten up. Besides, it's not like I plan to by a bikini in the near future. lol

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

The first couple weeks I noticed the weight just melting off. I am still loosing a lot but it's not quit so obvious right now. I think it's a bit early for any realy pleatus yet.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I'm already getting flirted with more at work and people have mentioned that my attitude is a lot better than it used to be.